View full sizeJamie Francis/The OregonianSome food carts like El Masry, which serves Egyptian food at the corner of Southwest Washington and Third Avenue in downtown Portland, have built decks and added seating to serve their customers better.

Commissioner Randy Leonard served up a message to owners of Portland's popular food carts: Make sure you've got your permits or inspectors may be at your window soon.

Leonard said he's seen a growing number of illegal decks and patios to serve food cart customers. Leonard, who manages the city's permit office, said he asked building inspectors to make illegal food cart lots a top priority.

Leonard said he is most concerned about a downtown parking lot packed with food carts along Southwest Third Avenue at Washington Street. He said one covered deck on the lot is operating "flagrantly in violation of building, fire and zoning codes." He said carts on that lot "add up to an entire block filled with illegal structures."

Leonard's move comes a few weeks after KATU reported on illegal structures on downtown food cart lots and as Portland's quirky food cart scene continues to attract national media attention. Leonard said he supports the thrifty twist on Portland's foodie scene but said the city must do more to protect the public's safety.

Inspectors at the city's Bureau of Development Services are investigating complaints about the lot on Southwest Third Avenue and at a second lot on the south end of downtown on Southwest Fourth Avenue.

Both lots have connections with prominent Portland families. The Goodman family, which controls much of the downtown parking market, owns the Third Avenue lot

The Saltzman family, through its privately held Oregon Pacific Investment and Development, owns the other lot. City Commissioner Dan Saltzman also has an ownership interest in the property, and the Goodman family manages the lot, which sits below the office windows of the city's building inspectors who work across the street.

Mike Liefeld, enforcement manager at the Bureau of Development Services, said their review of both lots is focused on decks, patios and electrical connections installed without permits. The city is writing letters to the two property owners to alert them to the code violations.

The food cart owners or the landlords could either get permits or remove the illegal decks and patios.

"If there is something that is not code compliant, we or the person who runs from us will fix it," Greg Goodman said.